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FCA Trademarks Cuda Again, But What For?

Remember the 1970 Barracuda? It’s hard not to love that thing, especially the Cuda derivate with the thumpin’ great HEMI powerplant and shaker hood. There’s been talk about a revival for quite a few years now, but Fiat Chrysler Automobiles still hasn’t broken the ice on this subject despite increasing interest in a new muscle car.
Plymouth Cuda 10 photos
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Cuda trademark (October 2020)Plymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth CudaPlymouth Cuda
Ten years ago at the 2010 SEMA Show, Ralph Gilles dropped a hint about the Barracuda without confirming or denying the automaker’s plans for this nameplate. Five years later, FCA filed Barracuda with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Two years after that, the Auburn Hills-based manufacturer filed Cuda.

Fast-forward to May 2020, and “sources” suggested that “the next-generation Challenger is indeed being engineered and designed with a convertible version in mind.” Finally, October 2020 is when FCA trademarked Cuda again, and this got me thinking that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles may be serious this time around.

On second though, no. The higher-ups in Auburn Hills are probably trying to protect intellectual property. On the other hand, FCA has also left the door open for a production model at some point in the future. The trademark filed on October 12th lists “land vehicles, namely passenger automobiles,” and this poses another question.

Does Cuda make sense as a trim level for the Challenger or will Dodge follow in the footsteps of GMC with the revival of the Hummer? Whatever the answer may be, it’s only speculation at this point. A special edition, a hybridized V8, and a Challenger-based convertible are speculation as well, but hey, one can only dream…

Looking at the bigger picture, it pains me to admit that bringing the Barracuda or Cuda back wouldn’t make too much sense. The Challenger may be outselling the Camaro at the present moment, but even the Mustang isn’t doing hot in terms of sales.

The Challenger sold 60,997 units in the United States last year, down 9 percent from 2018. In terms of year-to-date sales for the months from January to September, the two-door muscle car is down 11 percent compared to the first three quarters of 2019. Whichever way you look at it, sports cars are falling behind while SUVs like the Ford Bronco and trucks like the GMC Hummer EV reign supreme.

Alas, don’t get your hopes up for the Cuda coming back anytime soon.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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